Toothbrush and antiseptic holder



Jan. 29, 1952 R. A. OBER TOOTHBRUSH AND ANTISEPTIC HOLDER Filed Nov. 1, 1949 INVENTOR. ROY A. OBER A TTORNEYS Patented Jan. 29, 1952 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE- TOOTHBRUSH AND ANTISEPTIC HOLDER Roy A. Ober, Akron, Ohio Application November 1, 1949, Serial No. 124,778

'lClaims. 1 This invention relates to toothbrush containers in general, and in particular to a storage container for a toothbrush of the type including a chamber for holding an anti-septic substance. Broadly, such an arrangement has been known in the prior art and employs an antiseptic substance in solid form which is communicated in vapor form, at desired intervals, to the storage compartment of the toothbrush by manipulation of the assembly. For hygienic purposes, it is also necessary to aerate the toothbrush after such exposure and prior to use of the brush, and this has also been recognized in prior art devices. However, in the known instances, the functions of sterilizing and aerating have been occasioned by distinctly separate manipulations. In devices of this sort, although directed to desirable ends, matters of excessive manipulation are a serious inconvenience and they do not, in general, find acceptance for that reason.

By the present invention I have succeeded in overcoming the difiiculties of the prior art in that I have provided for alternative sterilization or aeration within a brush container in which the respective settings are mutually exclusive and result from a single manipulation.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a toothbrush container in which sterilization and ventilation are accomplished by comparatively simple manipulation. A further object is to provide a toothbrush holder having features of sterilization and ventilation, and wherein the component parts are minimized in number and possessed of simplicity. In still greater particular, it is an object to provide a sterilizing toothbrush container in which simultaneous occurrence of sterilization and ventilation is positively prevented.

These and other ends, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, are accomplished by the present invention, preferred forms of which are described in the following specification and illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an axial, sectional view of the assembled container,

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the cap closure appearing to the right of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the concentric parts angularly rotated, relatively, to show the port action,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing fied ports, and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the ports in adjusted position, as in the case of Fig. 4.

modi- Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, there is shown, in Fig. 1, a toothbrush with bristle portion I and a cylindrical handle 2 having a hollow interior 3, in which tooth powder or the like may be stored. A threaded cap 4 serves to close the interior of the handle.

The covering element for the bristle portion of the brush, indicated as a whole in Fig. 2, comprises three elements; a hollow, cylindrical tube E, open at one end, which telescopes over the handle 2, a second hollow, cylindrical tube 7, also open at one end, which telescopes over a reduced portion 8 on tube 6, and a closure cap 9 threadedly engageable on a reduced portion II on the outer end of tube 1.

It will be understood that the portion [2 of the brush to which the tufts are attached will have a form suitable to its lodgment in tube 6, either frusto-cylindrical to mate with the inner tube surface, or offset toward the tube axis to form a chord of an arc of the cylinder.

Tube 1 has a cylindrical recess 13 in its outer end, in which an antiseptic substance [4, preferably in powder form, is housed. A partition l6, between chamber l3 and the interior of tube 1, abuts the end face I! of tube 6 when the parts are assembled. Tube 1 is freely rotatable on tube 6. Partition l6 has three ports I8 spaced apart on a common circumference, and end face ll of tube 5 also has three ports l9 spaced 120 apart and adapted to register with ports i 8 when tube 1 is rotated relatively to tube 6.

Reduced portion 6 of tube 6 has a set of three elongate slots 2i in the vicinity of the brush tufts I, parallel to the axis of the tube and spaced 120 apart, while tube 1 has a similar set of three slots 22 registrable with slots 2i upon rotation of tube 1 relatively to tube 6. The perforations and slots are so arranged (see Figs. 3 and 4) that when perforations I8 and 13 are aligned, slots 2| and 22 are at relative positions midway between registration, whereas, when slots 2i and 22 are aligned, perforations it and K9 are at relative positions midway between registration. At angular positions of tubes 6, 1 between these two extremes, neither the perforations nor the slots will be in registry.

When perforations l8, l9 are aligned, communication is had between the antiseptic material I4 and the chamber housing the brush tufts, and the antiseptic vapors have free access to the tufts and make intimate contact therewith to accomplish the sterilizing functions. In this position of the parts, it is not possible for the vapors to be lost to the outside atmosphere. During this phase the vapors will transfer only in sufiicient amount to saturate the brush housing, whereupon an equilibrium condition occurs and there results little consumption of the antiseptic. After a time interval of suitable length for complete sterilization, tube 1 is rotated to bring slots 2|, 22 into registry, the antiseptic vapors are closed off by the shifting of ports [8, l9 and the tuft housing vents freely to the atmosphere, so that when the brush is removed for teeth-cleaning purposes there is no objectionable taste or odor.

In the modification of Figs. 1 to 3, a pair of index marks 23, 24 are provided on tubes 6 and I, respectively, to indicate registration of ports [8, I9. Registration of slots 2i, 22 is of course apparent without need for any other indicia.

It will be seen that with the arrangement shown the selective positions for sterilization or ventilation are mutually exclusive and are accomplished by a single manipulation of a single element. Not only is the handlin thus rendered quick and simple, but the possibility of simultaneous sterilizing and venting is completely avoided.

In the modification shown in Figs. and 6, the ports l8 in the partition [6 are arcu-ately elongate, rather than circular in section, so as to increase the range of angular adjustment of tube 1 during which the communication of antiseptic to the brush is maintained. As a consequence, there is some degree of communication of antiseptic at any angular position of the tube 1 other than those in which venting can occur through slots 2%, 22, and no index marks such as 23, 24 are required.

Although a toothbrush has been shown as integral with a component of the housing, the brush could as well be separate and enclosable within telescoping parts of a housing.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereby, since changes in the size, shape or arrangement, for instance, of the various parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims. a

What is claimed is:

l. A container for a toothbrush or the like comprising a pair of telescoping elements apertured to provide a housing for the bristles of a brush, a third element telesccped on one of said pair of elements and arranged for rotation with respect thereto, said third element having fixed means defining a compartment for holding an antiseptic substance, a first system of associated port means in said fixed means and said one of said pair of elements, and a second system of associated port means in said third element and said one of said elements, said second system of port means providing venting to the atmosphere, and the two systems of port means being so arranged as to be alternatively registrable, respectively, by a single motion of relative rotation between said third element and said one of said pair of elements.

2. A container for a toothbrush or the like comprising a housing having a cap, a sleeve rotatable on the cap and having a compartment for holding an antiseptic substance, port means communicating said compartment with the interior of said cap, and port means communicating ponent ports in said"; sleeve, so arranged as to be alternatively communicable with their associated ports and therefore with the interior of said cap by a single adjustment of said sleeve relatively to said cap.

3. A container for a toothbrush or the like comprising a housing having a cap, a sleeve telescoped on the said cap, rotatable with respect thereto, and said sleeve having a compartment for holding an antiseptic substance, port means communicating said compartment with the interior of said cap, and port means communicating the interior of said cap with the outer atmosphere through said sleeve, the respective said port means each having component ports in said sleeve, so arranged as to be alternatively conditioned for alignment with their associated ports by a single rotative adjustment of said sleeve relatively to said cap.

4. In a container for a toothbrush or the like, a housing, means on the housing defining a receptacle for an antiseptic substance, ports in said means adapted to provide communication between said receptacle and the interior of said housing, and further ports in said means adapted to provide alternative communication between the interior of said housing and the outer atmosphere, said ports and said further ports comprising systems having associated ports in said housing, so arranged as to be alternatively positionable for their respective said communication by a single adjustment of said means.

5. In a container for a toothbrush or the like, a housing, a sleeve rotatively mounted on the housing and having fixed means defining a receptacle for an antiseptic substance, ports in said means adapted to provide communication between said receptacle and the interior of said housing, and ports in said sleeve adapted to provide communication between the interior of said housing and the outer atmosphere, said ports being so arranged as to be alternatively positionable for their respective said communication by a single motion of rotative adjustment of said sleeve.

6. In a toothbrush container, telescoping elements comprising an inner member and an outer cap with slots in its side wall and with an end face having ports, a sleeve rotatively mounted on said outer cap and having slots in its side Wall registrable with the said slots in said cap, and a partition in said sleeve defining a compartment in the outer end of the sleeve for containing an antiseptic substance, said partition having ports so arranged as to be registrable with the said ports in the end face of said cap alternatively to registration of the respective said slots upon rotative adjustment of said sleeve.

'7. A container as in claim 6, the ports in said partition and in the end face of said cap being registrable throughout substantially all positions of rotative adjustment of said sleeve other than those positions defining registry of the respective said slots.

ROY A. OBELt REFERENCES CITED The following references 'are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,122,881 Dye Dec. 29, 1914 1,181,862

Dye May 2, 1916 

